Japanese American Identity & Self-Image | Asian American Poll

JAPANESE AMERICAN IDENTITY & SELF-IMAGE
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:14:07 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

In relating with other Asian American groups, Japanese Americans most exhibit which of the following attitudes?
More Americanized than thou | 51%
More rooted in ancestral heritage | 0%
More anxious to be low key | 49%
More embracing of other AA | 0%

Which of the following has the most impact on the Japanese American identity?
Smallest percentage of recent immigrants | 36%
World War II internment | 51%
Japan's economic success | 6%
Smaller population than other AA groups | 7%

This poll is closed to new input.
Comments posted during the past year remain available for browsing.

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WHAT YOU SAY

[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]

To AC dropout.

Japan sucks! whats Japanese or Japanese Americans stance in the world? They screwed up Asia. Then they're talking bad about Asia and Korea??? Japan is one countries in the world that they should shut the fuck up!! Those people don't represent Asia. Those Japanese are narrow minded assholes.

from Boston.
Park and Park Monday, November 12, 2001 at 22:45:31 (PST)

J Korea,

Why can't we Japanese expect you to be fond of us? Why can't we get along? Past is past. I apologize for what we've done to you. I know it's easy for me to say it. But we have to go on.

Who says Japanese are the ugliest people? Your definition of ugliness might match Japanese. Though, it is not true for everyone.

I could feel your great hatred towards us... and I'm sorry you feel that way. Do you want to keep the hatred inside you for rest of your life? and do you want to pass it on to your kinds? Don't you want to go on rather than live in the past? I think if we both try we can work it out. I do think it is possible for Koreans and Japanese to get along. I know Japanese definitely need to change. At the same time, though, Koreans have to change in a way that they are capable of accepting us.

Let's just stop being racists.

Candice,

Did you study Japanese history? What did you study in your Asian Studies class? I don't think you know everything about Japan. Therefore I think you have no right to look down on my country. I bet you don't speak Japanese. Language and Culture are so related that you can't completely understand the poeple until you speak the language. Japanese history and sociology will explain why Japanese act like they do. By the way, I'm sorry you had terrible time in Japan.

You also talk about enjo kosai... Do you know how many schoolgirls still do this today? Do you know anyone who does this? None of my firends do this. We even look down on girls like that.

Culture does change. I hope you study what really is going on in Japan today.
Don't just "learn". One of my American firends who stayed in Japan for 3 months had really good time over there. He even wants to go back. He thinks Japan has a very unique culture. He says, Japan has a lot of Western influences thought still remains the very Japaneseness at the core. Even McDonald's is not the same as American ones. We have smile 0 yen on the menu. Doesn't this explain somehing?

I hope in the future you look good sides of my country and not just bad sides.

a girl from japan Monday, November 12, 2001 at 21:27:49 (PST)

J Korea,

"After what you japanese done to korea, you expect us to be so fond of you?"

Well, that statement alone indicates that you are biased. Therefore, your opinions don't count. You have limited vision of the world around you.

World Traveler Friday, November 09, 2001 at 14:16:14 (PST)

Candice,

If it makes you feel better, when I was attending high school in NYC. They discovered an asian prostitution ring at Styvestant High School. One of the top rated specialized high school in the city.

And having my run in with asian gangs during the 80's and 90's in NYC (Born to Kill, Ghost Shadows, Green Dragons, White Tigers, Korean Power, Fukinese Boys, OP, Mo-Mang Pai "No Name Gang") I cannot say that any one of the other asian ethic groups are any better than any other. Of course, I'm not basing my opinion on the gangs I ran into as a kid.

So 99% of Japanese people will be born, live and die in Japan. And they have A "Dutch-town" where they import white people to run around in costume and pretend that it is a Dutch holiday. And they have love hotels so that you can steal a moment with your love one on a plan A or plan B. And they got enjo-kosai where I can find teenage girls for money or presents. And kids dress like a manga/anime character. But when I was in Tokyo I cannot say that any Japanese person I met was any worse than any New Yorker I met.

But guess what all the "bad" stuff is here in NYC also. If you want me to be more specific, I be more than happy to give you a run down of the Asian sex under-belly in all 5 borough. Korean, Chinese, and Japanese. And if Asian aren't your flavor, I can just as easily locate the Black, Russian, Latino, and White establishments.

As for happy white poeple in costume thinking it a holiday...go the West Village. ^_^

You probably never been north of 85th street with your tunnel vision.
AC dropout Friday, November 09, 2001 at 12:23:42 (PST)

Candice,

Every country has it's own problems. America has one of the highest crime rates and drug problems. However, America as a whole operates fine and average people live quite away from those problems. You cannot judge U.S. by its problems only. You can find child slavery, opium addiction, lack of freedom, inhumane practices, etc., all over the world but they don�t necessarily define their country and certainly don�t necessarily describe their daily lives.

Likewise, Japan has its problems. Under aged sex problems and rising crime rate by their young and new immigrants are some of them. It seems that their criminal justice system is uncertain as to how to handle them. The under aged sex problems are out in the open and receive more publicity in Japan. However, I tend to think America has the same problem in bigger proportion. It just is not out in the open and no one talks about this taboo (except daytime trash talk-shows). By the way, even those very small percentage of under aged girls who participate in �enjo-kosai� are in school. I don�t know where you got the information that they are not in school (although it doesn�t make it any less disgusting). As for Japan�s raising crime rate, it receives huge publicity there but in reality, the per capita rate is miniscule and the aggregate numbers are equal to one single city in U.S.

It is also funny that you called Japan filthy when my well-traveled colleagues and I find Japan very clean compared to any other Asian countries. It seems that you got a flashlight in Japan and only saw what you looked for. You are only the second person who disliked traveling to Japan out of hundreds I heard from. That first person was a 70-year-old lady who did not like any Japanese food.

You talked about some Japanese person making derogatory comments about other Asian countries. However, you said nothing about larger amounts of derogatory comments about Japan, made by people of other Asian backgrounds, without the slightest knowledge of Japan. You comments make me suspect that you are not of objective mind as you claimed to be, and you need more education on your �Asian Studies�.

World Traveler Friday, November 09, 2001 at 06:08:17 (PST)

Far Side, no problem! I'm Canadian, my ancestors were British, Swedish and German. I guess I'm a WASP.
Sorry to confuse you, I just thought it was a little unfair of some other posters who made assumptions about a half-Japanese girl just because she dyed her hair.

JKorea, it's true that Japanese are good at assimilating other cultures, but that doesn't make them all white wanna-bes.
And wait a minute- you accuse Japanese of not having their own style because they are just white wanna-bes, then you go on to say they look stupid because of their mis-matched clothes?? I don't get it.
Actually, one unique feature of Japanese fashion is this mismatching.
I agree, it can look pretty ridiculous, but it least it's a native-born style.

Candice, what the?? So one poster here claiming to be Japanese said bad stuff about Korea? Was he/she the spokesperson for all of Japan??
About the inhumane disgusting sex involving kids-- what kids? Please elaborate.
I am a caucasian female who has lived in Japan for over 5 years, and I've seen some pretty crazy stuff, but no worse than what I saw in Canada, the US and Europe.
The Japanese are certainly more open about sexuality than in N. America, but I think calling Japan a filthy and disgusting country is going too far. Anyway, please provide more details, because I have no idea what you're on about.

smallworld Friday, November 09, 2001 at 05:43:02 (PST)

are japanese crazy about disgusting sex? they are so inhumane. what are you doing with those kids? they should be in school. and the adults that actually enjoy them? you guys are into the most disgusting fetishes. in my opinion, my trip to Japan was a nightmare. I'm a caucasian student in NYC studying asian studies. Out of my visits to the Phillipines, Korea, and China. Japan was the filthiest. In my opinion, you japanese have no right to talk anything bad about China or Korea. One of the posts that I read hear said Korea sucked. In my opinion, Korea was one of the most beautiful country I've ever laid my eyes on.
Candice Candice212@freeze.com Thursday, November 08, 2001 at 08:29:23 (PST)

First of all Japanese are the ugliest people out of the asian race. Second, they're the biggest white wanna-bees in the world. You guys don't have your very own style. Walk around Manhattan...
every japanese person you see is ugly, next they either look very dumb trying to look like a white punk rocker or they try to stand out and be so fashionable by wearing anything that sticks out. The truth is, you can wear all good fabric, but please...ever heard of matching?? After what you japanese done to korea, you expect us to be so fond of you?
J Korea Thursday, November 08, 2001 at 08:22:07 (PST)

smallworld,

Forgive my bluntness, but what the hell are you, then?
Far Side Tuesday, November 06, 2001 at 12:31:23 (PST)

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